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Technology Stocks : How high will Microsoft fly? -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: t2 who wrote (20277)	4/11/1999 3:49:00 PM
From: djia101362	Respond to of 74651

Here's some pieces from a product review on MSFT's multimedia speakers. <<Microsoft is after desktop domination. This may not sound like new news to you, but I'm not talking about Windows 98, Windows 2000, or any of their Operating Systems here. Rather, I am referring to the speakers you have on your computer desktop. The Digital Sound System 80 was co-developed by Microsoft and Philips, and is not your ordinary three-piece subwoofer satellite combination. My pick for a holiday hardware gift in The Adrenaline Vault Shopping Guide 1998, read on to see why I'm impressed.>> <<Although I had high expectations for the Digital Sound System 80, not only were they met but exceeded. The sound quality is on par with the excellent Cambridge systems, even with analog or USB digital audio. Hopefully the Digital Sound System 80 is only the first in a series of multimedia speakers from Microsoft because I would love to see what they have up their sleeves. With products like this, the idea of Desktop Domination may not be that far from the truth.>>

To: t2 who wrote (20277)	4/11/1999 3:52:00 PM
From: RTev	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 74651

The first to go would be the "consumer" division. IMHO, one of the reasons for reorganization was that MSN was considered for spin-off. Now another biz (Windows98) which is a near monopoly in the consumer market, is in the same division. The original rumored outline of the reorg put Windows98 into the Consumer division along with MSN, but when the reorg was actually announced, Win98 had been moved out into a semi-autonomous division that operates under the umbrella of the Valentine's Enterprise division. (I suspect the change had to do with Silverberg's declining to take over the Consumer unit.) Keep in mind also that these reorganizations are common at Microsoft. They happen about once every three years. They've now created a Consumer unit that looks very much like the Consumer unit they had two reorgs ago, when it used the marketing moniker "Microsoft Home". Will they break it up eventually? I sure do hope so, because I think that's the only way to release some of the energy and value that now gets diluted by their monopoly businesses. I figure it would be great for shareholders and for employees, as taxman said. But will they do it? It seems like a tough decision for any executive to give up any part of a successful business. The executive has be willing to run something smaller and let other folks take over the other parts of the business. I figure it will take some significant problems at the combined company before either Gates or Ballmer would have the humility to admit that they can't do it all by themselves.